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TO fend off competition from other airports in the region, Singapore will be building a fourth passenger terminal at Changi Airport, said Minister of State for Transport Lim Hwee Hua in Parliament.
Speaking during the debate on her ministry's spending plans, Mrs Lim said Changi needs to expand its capacity since its status as an global aviation hub is now under strong challenge from bigger competitors like Dubai, Bangkok and Beijing.
It was only in January that Changi Airport opened the $1.75 billion Terminal Three. $500 million have also been set aside to upgrade Terminal One, while the $240 million makeover for Terminal Two has already been completed.
And now the 'master planning' for Terminal Four, said Mrs Lim, has already started.
Changi's passenger traffic hit a record 36.7 million last year - 4.8 per cent higher than in 2006.
But regional and international competition for passengers has also intensified.
Beijing airport's $3.8 billion third terminal, bigger than all five terminals at London?s Heathrow, opened its doors on Feb 29.
At the same time, Dubai also plans to spend $33 billion to build the world?s largest airport, which will be able to handle 120 million people a year when it's ready in 2012.
In recent years, newly expanded terminals have also sprung up in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
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